1 Refinery and Petrochemical Processes
3 1 Refinery and Petrochemical Processes 1.1 Introduction The combination of high demand for electric cars and higher automobile engine effi- ciency in the future will mean less conversion of petroleum into fuels. However, the demand for petrochemicals is forecast to rise due to the increase in world popula- tion. With this, it is expected that modern and more innovative technologies will be developed to serve the growth of the petrochemical market. In a refinery process, petroleum is converted into petroleum intermediate prod- ucts, including gases, light/heavy naphtha, kerosene, diesel, light gas oil, heavy gas oil, and residue. From these intermediate refinery product streams, several fuels such as fuel gas, liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, auto diesel, and other heavy products such as lubricants, bunker oil, asphalt, and coke are obtained. In addition, these petroleum intermediates can be further processed and separated into products for petrochemical applications. In this chapter, petroleum will be introduced first. Petrochemicals will be intro- duced in the second part of the chapter. Petrochemicals – the main subject of this book – will address three major areas, (i) the production of the seven cornerstone petrochemicals: methane and synthesis gas, ethylene, propylene, butene, benzene, toluene, and xylenes; (ii) the uses of the seven cornerstone petrochemicals, and (iii) the technology to separate petrochemicals into individual components. 1.2 Petroleum Petroleum is derived from the Latin words “petra” and “oleum,” which means “rock” and “oil,” respectively. Petroleum also is known as crude oil or fossil fuel. It is a thick, flammable, yellow-to-black mixture of gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrocarbons formed from the remains of plants and animals.
[Show full text]